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Boots Randolph
| birth_place = Paducah, Kentucky, United States | death_date = | death_place = Nashville, Tennessee, United States | instrument = Saxophone | genre = Nashville sound | occupation = Saxophonist | years_active = | label = RCA Victor, Capitol, Monument | associated_acts = Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Jerry Lee Lewis | website = | notable_instruments = Saxophone, trombone, vibraphone }} Homer Louis "Boots" Randolph III (June 3, 1927 – July 3, 2007) was an American musician best known for his 1963 saxophone hit "Yakety Sax" (which became Benny Hill's signature tune). Randolph was a major part of the "Nashville sound" for most of his professional career. Biography Randolph was born in Paducah, Kentucky, and raised in Cadiz, Kentucky, attending high school in Evansville, Indiana.Associated Press, Sax man Boots Randolph known for hit 'Yakety Sax' July 4, 2007. At the end of World War II, Boots Randolph played saxophone, trombone, and vibraphone in the United States Army Band. After his service in the Army, he played with Dink Welch's Kopy Kats in Decatur, Illinois, from 1948 to 1954. He briefly resided in Louisville, Kentucky, before returning to Decatur to start his own group. He left Decatur in 1957.Bernstein, Adam. "'Yakety Sax' Saxophonist Boots Randolph, 80". Washington Post. July 4, 2007. During his forty plus career, Randolph performed in hundreds of venues alongside many artists in pop, rock, jazz, and country music. He played on many recording sessions with Elvis Presley and also performed on soundtracks for a number of Presley's motion pictures, one popular song being "Return to Sender". Randolph recorded for Monument Records in Nashville and played on Roy Orbison's 1963 hit, "Mean Woman Blues." He was also featured on "Little Queenie" by REO Speedwagon, "Java" by Al Hirt, "Turn On Your Love Light" by Jerry Lee Lewis, and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee. He was present on many recordings by guitarist Chet Atkins with whom he often performed. Early in his career, he often billed himself as Randy Randolph. As a solo recording artist, Randolph placed four singles in the Top-100 between 1963 and 1967. The most successful of these was "Yakety Sax", which reached #35 in 1963 and stayed on the charts for nine weeks. Randolph was also successful on Billboard Magazine's album charts, having fourteen entries between 1963 and 1972. Boots With Strings from 1966 reached #36 and stayed on the chart for nearly two years. In 1977, Randolph opened a successful club of his own in Nashville's "Printer's Alley." He also frequently appeared on the television program Hee Haw, and was a member of the Million Dollar Band. On July 3, 2007, Randolph died at Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He had celebrated his 80th birthday just one month prior. His final solo studio album, A Whole New Ballgame, was released June 12, 2007. Discography Albums * A "Boots with Strings" also peaked at #3 on Jazz albums and #21 on R&B albums. * B "Country Boots" peaked at #30 on Country albums Singles See also *The Nashville A-Team References *Trott, Walt. (1998). "Boots Randolph." In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 428–9. External links * Official Site * * Boots bio * Some of his music * Find-A-Grave Memorial Page *Boots Randolph Interview NAMM Oral History Program (2003) Category:1927 births Category:2007 deaths Category:American rock saxophonists Category:Musicians from Paducah, Kentucky Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Monument Records artists Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Musicians from Evansville, Indiana Category:People from Trigg County, Kentucky Category:Million Dollar Band (country music group) members Category:20th-century American musicians Category:Deaths from cerebrovascular disease Category:20th-century saxophonists